Blog | John C Flood | Plumber Arlington, Fairfax @ Metro DC

DIY & How-To

It happens to all of us. Maybe you were in the middle of washing the shampoo out of your hair or about to rinse the lather off in the shower. Low water pressure is a common plumbing problem that ways seems to find the most inopportune times to strike. However, there are ways to fight back.

There are a quite a few reasons why your water may lose pressure. What that cause is will determine how easy or difficult it will be to fix this issue. Here are a few questions we can ask to rule out a few possibilities.

Is the low pressure isolated?

If just one faucet is experiencing the problem, the solution may be as simple as replacing the head. However, it could also be as involved as replacing the pipe leading to the spout. If the pressure is low throughout the house, you may need to take a look at the water heater.

Is the cold water going into the heater at the same pressure it flows through the rest of the house?

This could just turn out to be a valve problem. If the valve sending cold water to the heater is partially or totally closed off, it'll adversely affect the pressure of the hot water leaving it.

Have you tried all the suggestions so far and nothing seems to work ?

Sediment may have built up in the heater tank and is blocking the flow. You should try flushing the tank (not draining) to remedy this. You may also want to check the valve going from the heater to the rest of the house. If this valve has malfunctioned you'll need to replace it.

If all else fails, the solution may simply be that your water heater ultimately needs to be replaced altogether. It'll take some know-how to pull off these projects, but you'd be better off leaving them in the hands of a local plumbing professional like John C. Flood.

Old houses hide big electrical problems

June 17th, 2013

Even the best aesthetics can hide outdated electric systems.

Buying an older house always comes with a certain amount of risk. Perhaps the most common issue an older house will have is a badly outdated electrical system.

Deal with AC problems quickly and don’t lose your cool

June 10th, 2013

Have the professionals at John C Flood install your unit and avoid operational trouble later on.

There are common problems that hurt air conditioner performance. Foreknowledge may help you to avoid any of these from actually occurring or give you better insight in the event that something goes wrong.

Smarter Water

June 7th, 2013

A few plumbing upgrades can help you save water and save on your bills.

Being water efficient can be just as important as being energy efficient. Often taken for granted, water is still one of our most precious natural resources.

Smarter Water

June 7th, 2013

Being water efficient can be just as important as being energy efficient. Often taken for granted, water is still one of our most precious natural resources.

Warm water woes

June 5th, 2013

If the problem lies with your water heater, you may want call a professional.

Warm water woes

June 5th, 2013

Size matters: Air conditioning that meets your needs

June 4th, 2013

When it comes to air conditioning bigger may not always be better.

The summer heat is cranking up and it’s also time for you to crank up the air conditioning. When you go looking for a new unit, making sure you get the right one for your specific need ultimately determines how comfortable your summer will be.

What to do after a major weather event

June 4th, 2013

June marks the official start of hurricane season.

June is the official start of Atlantic Hurricane season, and although 2013 has so far been without major incident when it comes to damaging coastal storms, the memories of hurricanes from last year – a season that started earlier and lasted long than usual – continue to linger.

A look at the two primary kinds of sump pumps

May 31st, 2013

There are a number of factors that an experienced Virginia sump pump repair service like John C. Flood will need to take into consideration when they are installing one of these appliances in your home to protect the space from damaging seasonal floods.

It’s going to get hot…is your A/C ready?

May 28th, 2013

Temperatures are going to get into the 90′s through the end of the weekend, so many of you will be putting your A/C system to the full test. Here are a few informative blog post links regarding your A/C system with helpful tips, tricks and DIYs to help keep you and your family cool. http://johncflood.com/blog/diy-how-to/summer-air-conditioner-maintenance-filters/ [...]

Functional outdoor plumbing is the key to beautiful landscaping

May 24th, 2013

For the greenest lawn, you'll need to be sure your hose is hooked up to a working spout.

Just because temperatures are on the rise and the sun is shining, that doesn’t mean your grass is going to automatically be greener once we get into summer.

The dangers of outdoor extension cords

May 24th, 2013

There's nothing like summer nights out on your patio.

It finally feels like summer outside – at least most days of the week – and homeowners across the Mid Atlantic are sitting out on their decks and patios late into the evening now that it is finally warm out.

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DIY & How-To

Old houses hide big electrical problems

Deal with AC problems quickly and don’t lose your cool

Smarter Water

Smarter Water

Warm water woes

Warm water woes

Size matters: Air conditioning that meets your needs

What to do after a major weather event

A look at the two primary kinds of sump pumps

It’s going to get hot…is your A/C ready?

Functional outdoor plumbing is the key to beautiful landscaping

The dangers of outdoor extension cords

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